In this entry to the Christmas Catalog Extravaganza series, I give you Artificial Christmas Trees! I really thought this was a rather recent invention, but a little research proved me entirely wrong. Check out Wikipedia for the full history. In terms of these catalogs though, 1942 is one of the first advertised versions I found, proudly exaulting the low cost and the lack of...

Hard candy. Boiled sweets. Teeth Crackers. Call them whatever you like, these colorful, iron hard confections remind us of Christmas at Granny’s house. Whether they be fruit or mint flavored, drops or ribbons, tinned or jarred, we kept going back for more! And if mom or dad told us we’d had enough, granddad had a private stash by his recliner that he’d share on the...

In this entry to the Christmas Catalog Extravaganza series, I give you Artificial Christmas Trees! I really thought this was a rather recent invention, but a little research proved me entirely wrong. Check out Wikipedia for the full history. In terms of these catalogs though, 1942 is one of the first advertised versions I found, proudly exaulting the low cost and the lack of falling needles. But first, a little about me....

Hard candy. Boiled sweets. Teeth Crackers. Call them whatever you like, these colorful, iron hard confections remind us of Christmas at Granny’s house. Whether they be fruit or mint flavored, drops or ribbons, tinned or jarred, we kept going back for more! And if mom or dad told us we’d had enough, granddad had a private stash by his recliner that he’d share on the sly. This is a tribute to that time honored holiday...

Tis the season for a new batch of classic department store Christmas catalog time travel! And today, I bring you that classic Christmas cliche, in all of it’s kitschy glory: The Christmas Fruitcake. These images are culled primarily from Sears Catalogs, from 1937 to 1988. The catalog fruitcake is a perennial favorite, though I don’t recall if I’ve ever once tried a slice. Given that it’s reputation precedes it...

I’m a real sucker for Japanese vending machines. In general, I love the multitude of designs, colors and contents available. More than the modern machines though, I love the vintage designs that can still be found here and there, scattered around Japan. I’ve spent hours watching the videos on http://jihanki.michikusa.jp/. Uotani Yusuke’s website introduced me to the wondrous world of of the Fuji Electric noodle...

This is a collection of all the pages from a 1939 booklet, “The Story of Rockefeller Center”. It’s a tourist guide coinciding with the 1939 New York World’s Fair, and it covers the development, design and attractions of the building. In 1939, Rockefeller Center was only about nine years old, but it had gained a reputation as a cultural hot spot in New York City. The source of many of NBC’s radio...

Click on the image above for a full sized PDF to print. My first papercraft in a long time. Sorry you papercraft fans have had to wait so long! I’ll add several more before the Christmas. This is a recreation of the Howard Johnson’s fudge bar from the 1950s. I don’t have a lot of information about either the...

Another new pinup, in preparation for Pinupalooza. This one features some original neon, also created by me. I love neon, and I’ve been looking for the opportunity to include it in a pinup. I’m exhausted. I’ve never done a show before and I’m stressing trying to get everything done. I am really looking forward to it though. I hope it’s the first of many conventions that I’ll get to take part...

Here’s a new pinup illustration. It’s bright, compared to my usual fare. I like the slightly more painted feel that it has. It’s also reminiscent of an illustrated travel poster from the 1920s or 1930s. Most of my pinups are genre specific. One for tiki, one for a video game, one for a pinball game, and so on. It’s nice to focus on a more generic subject once in a while. Just a beautiful woman getting sun on...

Here’s a new print that I finished up in preparation for Pinupalooza. Actually, truth be told, it’s an old print that I never finished because I wasn’t sure where to go with it. I finally figured it out and got it finished. It’s a little different style than my usual. A little more cartoony, perhaps. I like the overall look though. Click to make larger. Anyone who knows me, knows of my obsession with the...

Inspired by Rob Richards fantastic Animation Backgrounds website, I’ve recreated a background from a classic 1942 Tom and Jerry short called “Bowling Alley Cat”. By recreated, I basically mean I take screenshots as the camera rolled by the background, then overlay them like the pieces of a puzzle. I used pieces to cover up any character animation and digitally airbrushing in any holes. This allows for a pristine...